Parker Jazz Festival

Parker (Charlie) Jazz Festival

Last weekend in August

The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival is a free event sponsored by the City Parks Foundation in New York City. Held annually since 1993, the event comprises two concerts held over a weekend in late August to commemorate Parker's birthday, August 29, 1920. Known to jazz followers as "Yardbird" or more simply "Bird," Parker was one of the most innovative and influential jazz saxophonists of the 20th century. His works are particularly noted for their complexity and virtuoso improvisation, which continue to attract critical admiration more than 50 years after his death in 1955.The festival concerts take place at Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem and Tompkins Square Park in the East Village, neighborhoods in which Parker lived and worked. About 7,000 people attended the festival's 15th anniversary performances in 2007, which featured such artists as vocalist Abbey Lincoln, drummer Chico Hamilton, pianist Marc Cary, and trumpeter Maurice Brown.

During his band's performance at the 2012 Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, the energy percolated to the point that Haynes grabbed the microphone and began to sing the O'Jays chorus "Money, money money mooo-ney.

All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.